Urban Development and Proposals Discussion

[StratosCityDweller]

I think the road widening setback makes the house site almost undevelopable. If the house stays, long term could be a character corner cafe or some other adaptive re-use, that could be neat. Otherwise probably a wide spot in the sidewalk.

 

[CBBarnett]

One option for those remaining parcels is something like this, came across this proposal just up 14th Street - mostly a reno of an existing retail in this case but classy (i.e. just put bricks on everything, it's pretty simple stuff!). Corner of 14th Street and 29 Ave SW. Just across from Our Daily Brett location:

Not everything can or should be consolidated into these 6-storey mixed use developments - the trick is to enable this kind of small-scale retail infill to be built brand new without trigger a bunch of nonsense (laybys, parking, weird setbacks etc.)

 

[DiscoStu]

Would be nice if the owner saw the writing on the wall and sold to Sarina so they could do the whole corner.

He probably does see the writing on the wall, but I assume is older, settled in his ways, and has a ton of crap. Expect him to be there for life.

 

[badc0ffee]

One option for those remaining parcels is something like this, came across this proposal just up 14th Street - mostly a reno of an existing retail in this case but classy (i.e. just put bricks on everything, it's pretty simple stuff!). Corner of 14th Street and 29 Ave SW. Just across from Our Daily Brett location:

If nothing else, it replaces the small 3-car parking lot on the corner with a patio .

 

[CBBarnett]

If nothing else, it replaces the small 3-car parking lot on the corner with a patio .

We are not lacking ugly Main Street renovation opportunities.

A few bricks, some fresh paint and just a general acknowledgement that these places are opportunities for people rather than just depreciating car-sewers being eroded by endless noise and traffic can go a long way:

Current:

Proposed:

 

[adamyyc]

The problem is you’re going to have a 6-story blank wall over the corner lot when we could have proper frontage on two sides of the building.

 

[CBBarnett]

The problem is you’re going to have a 6-story blank wall over the corner lot when we could have proper frontage on two sides of the building.

I am not sure that matters too much - nothing stops the site at the corner from developing a thoughtful 2-sided frontage one day. Plus Marda Loop gets another wall mural for a while.

I don't think the trick is to figure out how to consolidate ever-more parcels into a consistent single development, the trick is to get solid, dense and pedestrian-oriented urban development regardless of parcel size and have those parcels be able to seamlessly integrated to each other.

For this example one thing that is likely to come up is a weird and pointless side setback between the 6-storey building and the house. This makes it so future seamless integration of a new development will be impossible. We can solve that by consolidating the sites to a single building (didn't happen) or we can have a main street policy that requires no setbacks on the side (or at least a process that enables and encourages this consistent street wall, if "require" is too strong of a term).

 

[Nimbus]

840, 838, 836, and 834 Memorial Drive in Sunnyside just sold after only 4 days on the market. Will be interesting to see what developer picked them up, I'd assume we'll get a midrise like the others on that block there.

These 4 for reference: https://maps.app.goo.gl/78uyYwRLeMfsiysG8

 

[IanBray]

We are not lacking ugly Main Street renovation opportunities.

A few bricks, some fresh paint and just a general acknowledgement that these places are opportunities for people rather than just depreciating car-sewers being eroded by endless noise and traffic can go a long way:

Current:

View attachment 571465
Proposed:
View attachment 571466

Two doors west of this on 29th Ave of Marda Loop, Certus have an interesting small project starting this year. Run down residential fourplex being converted to commercial. This corner is a nice addition to Marda Loop and 14th St SW. Certus' office is located in the Our Daily Brett building which is itself a Certus development.

Before

After

 

[Calgcouver]

We are not lacking ugly Main Street renovation opportunities.

A few bricks, some fresh paint and just a general acknowledgement that these places are opportunities for people rather than just depreciating car-sewers being eroded by endless noise and traffic can go a long way:

Current:

View attachment 571465
Proposed:
View attachment 571466

Love this facelift, perfect really. Only design choice i'd prefer is some room for plants between the brick wall and sidewalk. Just softens the edge, i prefer no hardscaping to hardscaping. '

The City really needs to do something with all these grass landscaping strips that are all over the place. Just turn them into naturalized pollinators beds like here:

Or just plant some perennials that are super hardy and let them grow in every year like these folks did in Mission:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

There are so many of these everywhere. If the city just naturalized these or planted them over time, we would have a much better looking City on the whole from my perspective.
Here is what i'm talking about everywhere that i dislike so much:

 

[Mountain Man]

One down side of that is people walk and drive over them, so any nice planting would be trampled pretty quick. That's why the grass there always looks like shit.

 

[Calgcouver]

One down side of that is people walk and drive over them, so any nice planting would be trampled pretty quick. That's why the grass there always looks like shit.

throw a patio block or two or a couple pavers in a few locations to facilitate foot traffic, is how i've seen this solved previously, mostly by private homeowners who planted in these areas. Use desire lines or create them basically.

I really want to see the 13th Avenue greenway be the norm, not just a single case around here.

 

[Mountain Man]

I like the little strip of concrete they used between the road and landscaped area on the 13 ave greenway.

 

[Chowda7]

Dementia-friendly public park planned for Calgary

Plans have been announced for the construction of a new first-of-it's-kind dementia-friendly public park in southeast Calgary.

calgary.ctvnews.ca

 

[potatopizzafan]

Two doors west of this on 29th Ave of Marda Loop, Certus have an interesting small project starting this year. Run down residential fourplex being converted to commercial. This corner is a nice addition to Marda Loop and 14th St SW. Certus' office is located in the Our Daily Brett building which is itself a Certus development.

Before

View attachment 571864

After

View attachment 571865

Certus is also renovating the building in between with the white colunns at the entrance. According to their website it will be leased out to a veterinary clinic once its completed